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LITHIUM: Federal officials extend endangered species protections to a rare Nevada wildflower, potentially hampering development of the proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

ALSO: A Navajo Nation-owned energy company partners with an Australian firm to develop a proposed lithium mine in western Arizona on land held sacred by the Hualapai tribe. (KNAU)

CLIMATE: As California prepares to adopt the nation’s most aggressive greenhouse gas cutting plan this week, environmental advocates worry it relies too heavily on carbon capture and lacks a clear implementation strategy. (Bloomberg Law)

EFFLUENT ENERGY: A Colorado university campus uses the nation’s largest sewage heat recovery system to heat and cool buildings. (Colorado Sun)

SOLAR:
• California advocates warn proposed cuts to compensation for rooftop solar generation to be ruled on today could put the technology out of reach of low-income households and renters. (Canary Media)
• New Mexico regulators require smart inverters for new rooftop solar and storage to accommodate new interconnections without significant grid upgrades. (PV Magazine)
• A Nevada gold mine begins constructing a 200 MW solar facility to power its operations. (news release)

COAL:
• Environmental groups urge federal mining officials to assume oversight of a Montana coal mine, saying state regulators have intentionally failed to protect water or the public. (Daily Montanan)
• A Colorado court rules regulators violated state law by allowing a coal mine in the western part of the state to operate without an air pollution permit. (news release)  
• The Biden administration chooses not to appeal a judge’s August reinstatement of a federal coal leasing moratorium, leaving the pause in place until environmental analyses are completed. (Casper Star-Tribune) 

GRID: Portland General Electric says a deliberate attack on one of the utility’s substations in Oregon last month left more than 6,000 customers without power. (Canby First)

GEOTHERMAL: The U.S. Energy Department awards California and Colorado firms $15 million to develop methods of speeding up and lowering costs of geothermal drilling. (news release)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: California’s energy commission approves spending $2.9 billion to expand electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. (Bloomberg)  

STORAGE: Nevada’s largest utility plans to begin construction on a 220 MW grid-tied battery project near Las Vegas next year. (PV Magazine)

COMMENTARY: A California editorial board says the state’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2045 relies too heavily on shaky assumptions and should be better “future-proofed.” (Los Angeles Times)

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Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.